If Tetsuya Takahashi wanted to end Future Redeemed in a way to satisfy fans in the beyond after XC3's incredible ending. Well spark, my dude. You exceeded my expectations and then some. As a fan of the Xeno games since the time of Xenogears. Future Redeemed encompasses all the necessary callbacks, references, easter eggs, and precious moments we were waiting for.
I was captivated by the countless affinity scenes(moments you can see out in the world without any level or party member requirement) that struck me the most with the experience of all the past Xenoblade Chronicles games. And while, I wish there were even more to the point of fan service. I understand why Monolith Soft didn’t do so. It’s a delicate thread to balance for the fans to an extent they will be satisfied without over-gorging too much. And yet I am astounded at how great these scenes I saw within the expansion that evoked a sense of satisfaction. Some were bittersweet, some heartwarming, and some I couldn’t help but be amused at the sheer cheekiness. It is Xenoblade through and through. So you will experience a wide range in the emotional spectrum.
Gameplay didn’t change much like in Torna. The Xenoblade 3 combat system makes a welcome return, with the addition of unity combos and unity setups to mix things up a bit. Familiar and a mix of unfamiliar systems in place to capture player interest more into the gameplay-focus of Xenoblade. I thought the systems were decent. Didn’t need to go too complex or too simple. There is plenty of customization here as well. And I felt the tutorials do a good job explaining the old and new mechanics. Music as expected of Monolith Soft's composer team hits all the right notes. Players will recognize familiar tracks and new tracks.
I greatly appreciate the interconnected zones here, than in Torna due to the implementation of an increase in platforming and secrets. It’s not as deep as the intricate layers you see in Dark Souls. But zones flow seamlessly into other regions you will traverse and I found them to be a good length to explore and fight in. It’s not super large; to the extent you need to spend ‘x’ hours to reach one end of a zone into another zone. There is careful thought and precision by Monolith to make beautiful environments and secrets worth finding feel natural as past Xenoblade games were designed. And the expansion flourishes as a result. You do have new field mechanics to play around with, to reach new areas like repairing broken ladders. And other methods which I won’t say since it's better to experience that in-game. But suffice it to say I had fun exploring once again in Future Redeemed just like the past entries. Including X.
One last bit of praise. It is an absolute pleasure once again to see two familiar characters. There are so many moments, I have wished so hard in the past to witness and it has come to fruition now in Future Redeemed. So their presence creates a new dynamic I don't often see in Jrpg's or DLC expansions.
Moving on, while I consider the expansion excellent. There were some things that did tickle my mixed feelings. I don’t consider it a positive or a negative, but for the sake of transparency, I'm noting the qualities to let readers know ahead of time.
Certain unlocks for the characters you play are locked behind some side quests and through exploration, in secret areas, and opening relic chests. These will unlock gem unlocks, accessories, affinity growth charts, and arts. several can be easy to spot and therefore unlock whatever the above for each character at your leisure. But a small to decent chunk can be a bit tricky to spot. By the endgame, I had mostly everyone’s slots unlocked. With only a couple of my party members features locked since I wasn’t as thorough in exploring everything. Despite the fact I cleared 90%+ of every zone and completed I would say 95% of all sidequests. So this mix of forcing the player to unlock their innate features for each character feels a bit forced to make players explore. This is fine for me because I love to explore, except I also want to get most of my party member's abilities and features through natural-based progression. Meaning when a new chapter begins. Release a third of my parties accessories, arts, gems, and affinity growth charts locked status. I can understand why Monolith Soft tried to shake things up with this approach to encourage exploration which is worth seeing. Except for me, I’m left shaking my head at the potential my party could’ve had naturally instead of being forced to explore.
Secondly, I am flabbergasted by an important scene that was not properly labeled on the map with a giant exclamation point or affinity scene after witnessing a story cutscene in chapter 4. Which revealed massive lore context we needed from XC3. Without going into spoilers too much. Visit someone's(not going to say the name of the character’s) workshop after viewing the story cutscene on a mountain(located at a high elevation) in chapter 4. This will happen naturally, but players need to go back to the workshop to notice the scene. The map does not display it. Hopefully, this is a bug and the developers missed it. But as a Xeno lore dude, I'm shaking my head, if people miss the scene. So please don’t forget about checking the workshop!
Another point of mixed feeling would’ve been further time to flesh out two characters. Not going to say names, since this is a non-spoiler review. But, I consider two of the cast within the expansion, somewhat needing extra development and cutscenes to shine. There are familiar cast members that kinda take out the spotlight from the two characters and as a result, they don’t shine as much in my eyes. While understandable due to other characters' sheer presence, I think additional affinity scenes could’ve been used to delve deeper into the bonds of our party and create a cohesive party at hand. Thereby, allowing the cast to bond thoroughly and make the endgame stand out a just a little bit larger.
Not a nitpick at the endgame chapters. Since I consider it a fitting farewell to the trilogy. The expansion has the weight and reach of the first game. The grand presence of the second game and the lessons learned from Torna in creating side quests that are not needed to progress through the story by community levels. Expands what we already know in the third game, Delving deep into the missing context and cues we so desperately needed and wished for. And I would say the developers delivered so much. It is exactly what I needed from Takahashi and his team. The connection of the past and future is connected, all while capturing the wonderful magic that is unique in every Xeno game. With a great main cast and soulful music once again struck me deep in the heart. Satisfying gameplay loop and worthwhile cutscenes every Xeno series fan needs to experience. It’s been an incredible journey seeing how far they’ve come since the first Xenoblade game and from the time of Xenogears. For any Xeno series fan. This expansion is easily a must-play. And for us long-time fans since Gears and Saga. One to not miss out on.
9/10
Edit: Grammar and replacing repeated words
Edit 2: On my 2nd point above regarding a scene not being labeled properly. It actually is labeled on the map. The point of interest is covered by a hammer icon. Thanks to my friend @TehLostOne for the correction.
I was captivated by the countless affinity scenes(moments you can see out in the world without any level or party member requirement) that struck me the most with the experience of all the past Xenoblade Chronicles games. And while, I wish there were even more to the point of fan service. I understand why Monolith Soft didn’t do so. It’s a delicate thread to balance for the fans to an extent they will be satisfied without over-gorging too much. And yet I am astounded at how great these scenes I saw within the expansion that evoked a sense of satisfaction. Some were bittersweet, some heartwarming, and some I couldn’t help but be amused at the sheer cheekiness. It is Xenoblade through and through. So you will experience a wide range in the emotional spectrum.
Gameplay didn’t change much like in Torna. The Xenoblade 3 combat system makes a welcome return, with the addition of unity combos and unity setups to mix things up a bit. Familiar and a mix of unfamiliar systems in place to capture player interest more into the gameplay-focus of Xenoblade. I thought the systems were decent. Didn’t need to go too complex or too simple. There is plenty of customization here as well. And I felt the tutorials do a good job explaining the old and new mechanics. Music as expected of Monolith Soft's composer team hits all the right notes. Players will recognize familiar tracks and new tracks.
I greatly appreciate the interconnected zones here, than in Torna due to the implementation of an increase in platforming and secrets. It’s not as deep as the intricate layers you see in Dark Souls. But zones flow seamlessly into other regions you will traverse and I found them to be a good length to explore and fight in. It’s not super large; to the extent you need to spend ‘x’ hours to reach one end of a zone into another zone. There is careful thought and precision by Monolith to make beautiful environments and secrets worth finding feel natural as past Xenoblade games were designed. And the expansion flourishes as a result. You do have new field mechanics to play around with, to reach new areas like repairing broken ladders. And other methods which I won’t say since it's better to experience that in-game. But suffice it to say I had fun exploring once again in Future Redeemed just like the past entries. Including X.
One last bit of praise. It is an absolute pleasure once again to see two familiar characters. There are so many moments, I have wished so hard in the past to witness and it has come to fruition now in Future Redeemed. So their presence creates a new dynamic I don't often see in Jrpg's or DLC expansions.
Moving on, while I consider the expansion excellent. There were some things that did tickle my mixed feelings. I don’t consider it a positive or a negative, but for the sake of transparency, I'm noting the qualities to let readers know ahead of time.
Certain unlocks for the characters you play are locked behind some side quests and through exploration, in secret areas, and opening relic chests. These will unlock gem unlocks, accessories, affinity growth charts, and arts. several can be easy to spot and therefore unlock whatever the above for each character at your leisure. But a small to decent chunk can be a bit tricky to spot. By the endgame, I had mostly everyone’s slots unlocked. With only a couple of my party members features locked since I wasn’t as thorough in exploring everything. Despite the fact I cleared 90%+ of every zone and completed I would say 95% of all sidequests. So this mix of forcing the player to unlock their innate features for each character feels a bit forced to make players explore. This is fine for me because I love to explore, except I also want to get most of my party member's abilities and features through natural-based progression. Meaning when a new chapter begins. Release a third of my parties accessories, arts, gems, and affinity growth charts locked status. I can understand why Monolith Soft tried to shake things up with this approach to encourage exploration which is worth seeing. Except for me, I’m left shaking my head at the potential my party could’ve had naturally instead of being forced to explore.
Secondly, I am flabbergasted by an important scene that was not properly labeled on the map with a giant exclamation point or affinity scene after witnessing a story cutscene in chapter 4. Which revealed massive lore context we needed from XC3. Without going into spoilers too much. Visit someone's(not going to say the name of the character’s) workshop after viewing the story cutscene on a mountain(located at a high elevation) in chapter 4. This will happen naturally, but players need to go back to the workshop to notice the scene. The map does not display it. Hopefully, this is a bug and the developers missed it. But as a Xeno lore dude, I'm shaking my head, if people miss the scene. So please don’t forget about checking the workshop!
Another point of mixed feeling would’ve been further time to flesh out two characters. Not going to say names, since this is a non-spoiler review. But, I consider two of the cast within the expansion, somewhat needing extra development and cutscenes to shine. There are familiar cast members that kinda take out the spotlight from the two characters and as a result, they don’t shine as much in my eyes. While understandable due to other characters' sheer presence, I think additional affinity scenes could’ve been used to delve deeper into the bonds of our party and create a cohesive party at hand. Thereby, allowing the cast to bond thoroughly and make the endgame stand out a just a little bit larger.
Not a nitpick at the endgame chapters. Since I consider it a fitting farewell to the trilogy. The expansion has the weight and reach of the first game. The grand presence of the second game and the lessons learned from Torna in creating side quests that are not needed to progress through the story by community levels. Expands what we already know in the third game, Delving deep into the missing context and cues we so desperately needed and wished for. And I would say the developers delivered so much. It is exactly what I needed from Takahashi and his team. The connection of the past and future is connected, all while capturing the wonderful magic that is unique in every Xeno game. With a great main cast and soulful music once again struck me deep in the heart. Satisfying gameplay loop and worthwhile cutscenes every Xeno series fan needs to experience. It’s been an incredible journey seeing how far they’ve come since the first Xenoblade game and from the time of Xenogears. For any Xeno series fan. This expansion is easily a must-play. And for us long-time fans since Gears and Saga. One to not miss out on.
9/10
Edit: Grammar and replacing repeated words
Edit 2: On my 2nd point above regarding a scene not being labeled properly. It actually is labeled on the map. The point of interest is covered by a hammer icon. Thanks to my friend @TehLostOne for the correction.
malos would have solved this xbc3 shit in 5 seconds through the power of gay sex if he were there. or made it worse
One of the best conclusions to one of the greatest trilogies of all time to end off a series. Not explaining any story stuff in this review because you should play it for yourself but one of the greatest ever cooked. This being a love letter and a goodbye letter to this series as whole, being a celebration of the journey Takahashi has taken us through. This DLC content is so damn good to add onto the base game as a whole as you can treat it alongside to base game as a dessert after the well-cooked meal.
This DLC helps show that in the series as it goes through a bunch of the themes it has gone through its three games, the culmination of this beautiful DLC. Matthew being one of the main characters alongside Noah to help push along the core themes of Xenoblade 3 along with what base games does and its cast of characters, Matthew approaches the future, takes the good parts of the past and accepts the bad, and keeps moving forward. Rex and Shulk are also there as well with their themes from Xenoblade 1 & 2 to show that all these come together such as the future may be unknown but we should always keep matching forward no matter what happens and how our past hurts but we shouldn’t let it drag us behind, we can learn from our pasts, get back up on our feet and get stronger to be able to keep moving forward. This speaks to the Xenoblade Series as whole, to be able to reflect on our past, don’t let it drag us down but to let it help us move forward in life. To face our trauma and to be our true selves rather than to run away from ourselves.
Takahashi up there with the greats on being able to make beautiful art and personal stories throughout video-games.
"Nevertheless, our intentions will live on, and one day coalesce again. Be it tomorrow... or in a thousand years... Surely, the time will eventually come. I can see it, clear as day."
Future Awaits
This DLC helps show that in the series as it goes through a bunch of the themes it has gone through its three games, the culmination of this beautiful DLC. Matthew being one of the main characters alongside Noah to help push along the core themes of Xenoblade 3 along with what base games does and its cast of characters, Matthew approaches the future, takes the good parts of the past and accepts the bad, and keeps moving forward. Rex and Shulk are also there as well with their themes from Xenoblade 1 & 2 to show that all these come together such as the future may be unknown but we should always keep matching forward no matter what happens and how our past hurts but we shouldn’t let it drag us behind, we can learn from our pasts, get back up on our feet and get stronger to be able to keep moving forward. This speaks to the Xenoblade Series as whole, to be able to reflect on our past, don’t let it drag us down but to let it help us move forward in life. To face our trauma and to be our true selves rather than to run away from ourselves.
Takahashi up there with the greats on being able to make beautiful art and personal stories throughout video-games.
"Nevertheless, our intentions will live on, and one day coalesce again. Be it tomorrow... or in a thousand years... Surely, the time will eventually come. I can see it, clear as day."
Future Awaits
2/20 backlog 2024
A genuine treat for longtime Xenoblade fans. It ties all the games (not you, Xenoblade Chronicles X) together beautifully even though you're left with more questions than answers after the credits have rolled.
A genuine treat for longtime Xenoblade fans. It ties all the games (not you, Xenoblade Chronicles X) together beautifully even though you're left with more questions than answers after the credits have rolled.
This review contains spoilers
Finally a Xenoblade DLC that I enjoyed thoroughly!
Very nice QoL features: You can pin items required for quests, gem crafting or even X-reader upgrades. And it will then show you if you find an enemy that drops the item you're looking for.
Finally having access to a bestiary is also very welcomed! Now we can find specific resources more efficiently.
The game does a great job at being an Openworld. Exploring & doing side quests is very rewarding, as Unlock Kits are what allow you to upgrade your characters and become stronger. And the X-reader helps you locate hidden treasures very easyly. It's just a joy to explore.
The battles flow quite well even without using chain attacks, I'm really happy about that.
Just cancelling your arts nonstop and doing Unity combos depletes the enemies HPs quickly enough.
Sometimes, I didn't even use chain attacks even though I could. It just feels better to not use those all the time.
I mostly focused on strengthening Shulk because he is my favorite character. When I found Unlock Kits, I would always use them on him first. I also had fun using Matthew, A and Glimmer.
Btw, it was really sweet seeing the father/son relationship between Shulk & Nikol and Rex & Glimmer. Seeing Nikol having the same passion for engineering than his father is so wholesome.
There are a lot of callbacks to the previous games: The moment the kids ask Na'el to sing them songs, and they name-drop famous tracks from previous Xenoblade games, it made me giggle. "Gaur Plain! Tomorrow with you! Bringer of Chaos, Ultimate!"
The original Colony 9 from Xenoblade 1 is back, along with its music and the battle theme "Time to fight".
More over, they continued to mix up environments from previous games just like they did in base game Xenoblade 3. Combining the three snowy areas from each Xeno game to create the Black Mountains was sick!
And making Prison Island the final area of the DLC was amazing. The developers really wanted to trigger a reaction in the player with all this nostalgia.
Even though he did that to serve his own purposes in the long run, seeing Z team up with Shulk & Rex to try and get rid of Alpha was kinda raw. He's the last person I would have expected to team up with our beloved Heroes.
I was quite invested in the cutscenes showing the Past of Na'el, her struggles with the war & endless killing. The voice actor did a good job portraying her emotions and making us understand why Alpha chose her as a vessel.
After defeating Alpha for good, Shulk, Rex & Alvis leave to become the new avatars of the Trinity processor. This ending really got me in the feels. I loved the story of Future Redeemed, this was a great way to wrap-up the trilogy.
Also, we learn that Matthew is part of the Vandham lineage 🤯
The end credits were so good, great music, and I love that we see a recap of all 3 Xeno games, with actual in-game footage. It was an amazing send-off.
Playing that DLC reinforced my love for those games and the Xenoblade series in general. This really is my favorite video game franchise, no doubt about it.
I can't wait to see what Xenoblade 4 is gonna be like. Because the producer said Future Redeemed put an end to this trilogy, and the next Xenoblade games are gonna be quite different, with an entirely different storyline. So I'm very curious!
----------Playtime & Completion----------
[Started on April 7th & finished on April 26th 2024]
Playtime: 28 hours
100% Completion
Very nice QoL features: You can pin items required for quests, gem crafting or even X-reader upgrades. And it will then show you if you find an enemy that drops the item you're looking for.
Finally having access to a bestiary is also very welcomed! Now we can find specific resources more efficiently.
The game does a great job at being an Openworld. Exploring & doing side quests is very rewarding, as Unlock Kits are what allow you to upgrade your characters and become stronger. And the X-reader helps you locate hidden treasures very easyly. It's just a joy to explore.
The battles flow quite well even without using chain attacks, I'm really happy about that.
Just cancelling your arts nonstop and doing Unity combos depletes the enemies HPs quickly enough.
Sometimes, I didn't even use chain attacks even though I could. It just feels better to not use those all the time.
I mostly focused on strengthening Shulk because he is my favorite character. When I found Unlock Kits, I would always use them on him first. I also had fun using Matthew, A and Glimmer.
Btw, it was really sweet seeing the father/son relationship between Shulk & Nikol and Rex & Glimmer. Seeing Nikol having the same passion for engineering than his father is so wholesome.
There are a lot of callbacks to the previous games: The moment the kids ask Na'el to sing them songs, and they name-drop famous tracks from previous Xenoblade games, it made me giggle. "Gaur Plain! Tomorrow with you! Bringer of Chaos, Ultimate!"
The original Colony 9 from Xenoblade 1 is back, along with its music and the battle theme "Time to fight".
More over, they continued to mix up environments from previous games just like they did in base game Xenoblade 3. Combining the three snowy areas from each Xeno game to create the Black Mountains was sick!
And making Prison Island the final area of the DLC was amazing. The developers really wanted to trigger a reaction in the player with all this nostalgia.
Even though he did that to serve his own purposes in the long run, seeing Z team up with Shulk & Rex to try and get rid of Alpha was kinda raw. He's the last person I would have expected to team up with our beloved Heroes.
I was quite invested in the cutscenes showing the Past of Na'el, her struggles with the war & endless killing. The voice actor did a good job portraying her emotions and making us understand why Alpha chose her as a vessel.
After defeating Alpha for good, Shulk, Rex & Alvis leave to become the new avatars of the Trinity processor. This ending really got me in the feels. I loved the story of Future Redeemed, this was a great way to wrap-up the trilogy.
Also, we learn that Matthew is part of the Vandham lineage 🤯
The end credits were so good, great music, and I love that we see a recap of all 3 Xeno games, with actual in-game footage. It was an amazing send-off.
Playing that DLC reinforced my love for those games and the Xenoblade series in general. This really is my favorite video game franchise, no doubt about it.
I can't wait to see what Xenoblade 4 is gonna be like. Because the producer said Future Redeemed put an end to this trilogy, and the next Xenoblade games are gonna be quite different, with an entirely different storyline. So I'm very curious!
----------Playtime & Completion----------
[Started on April 7th & finished on April 26th 2024]
Playtime: 28 hours
100% Completion
Line/lyric spoilers for Future Redeemed
Quote spoilers for Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Thematic spoilers(?) for the whole series
...
“You’re standing at a loss
In front of a door
That’s been closed for so long”
At the time of writing this piece, I’ve been on Backloggd for less than a year. In that small timeframe, there have been multiple times when I’ve thought ‘You know what? I think today I’m going to sit down, and write a review about some of the most impactful games. Not just a short review that just boils down to me saying I liked it, but an actual full, real, in-depth review.’ But I never end up doing it. There’s always some rationale for it, I didn’t have the energy, there wasn’t enough time, I didn’t know how to start, I wasn’t ‘in the zone’ or something of that variety. Perhaps some of these were true at times, but in reality it always boils down to ‘What if what I write is bad? What if I don't convey my thoughts and feelings properly?’
“Until you open it, you cannot know
Afraid to see
What could be on the other side”
I don’t want to go out and make that effort, take that plunge, because I don’t think I can do it. If I try but fail and I butcher it, write it poorly, and/or misrepresent my thoughts, I’ll feel like a stupid fucking clown. More so than usual, that is. There isn’t any point in putting myself out there because it’ll inevitably result in intense hurt, just like every time before.
“I’ve seen that look before
The stare of your fearful looking eyes”
It’s so much easier to just not do it, to not try, to sit back and read others’ reviews instead. To consume art, rather than to create. I can stay safe and content as an observer, rather than a creator.
“Will you give up
And stay where you belong
Afraid your time
It might just take too long”
Satisfied and stationary, not a bad deal. I’ll just stay where I am, resting in my comfort zone. It’s worked so far, no reason for it not to in the future. It’s where I belong.
“Will you give up
And stay where you belong”
But doesn’t that fly directly in the face of not only some of my favorite works, but also my ideals, my beliefs? Have I not been taught time and time again to move forward, to improve, to grow, to learn? Am I not acting like Moebius, in a way? I’m creating a sort of ‘Endless Now’ for myself, am I not?
“And you won’t know
Unless we keep on trying
Now we need the strength to carry on”
Maybe it works, maybe it's easy. Hell, maybe I’ll suddenly wake up one day and write a fantastic review regardless? Is being complacent and waiting for knowledge and skill to find me just waiting for another turn of the clock? If that's the case, given enough seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, or even longer, I’ll eventually find myself in the perfect state to produce something of great quality.
“With a turn of the clock, anyone can be a winner, given the time.”
But that’s flawed logic. Waiting indefinitely in hopes that things will magically improve or change is a fool’s errand. I should, no, I need to grow and change and fail and learn of my own accord.
“Our voices might not be heard”
It doesn’t matter if I have no impact, what’s important is really, truly going out and trying.
“And it doesn’t matter if we fail”
Maybe I’ll fall flat on my face once more, but at least something will change. I’ll take that experience, and then get up and try again. I can’t be as I am now forever, I refuse to.
“But if there is a future”
It’s time for me to try, to go for it. I need to reach into the strange, unknowable life that is just waiting for me to confront it. Maybe there’s nothing at all for me, maybe I’m doomed to stay miserable. But maybe there’s something special waiting…
“That’s where we’ll set out sights”
The only way to find out is to venture forth and explore it.
“So… just walk through”
I’ll get up, and walk toward that unknowable future.
“Don’t take too long”
No more waiting for everything to happen.
“You’ll find it there…”
Whatever happens, happens.
“In our future”
…
“Roads stretch out before us. So many paths. Which do you choose? That's up to you. Sometimes you might run astray. You’ll stop, maybe cry in frustration. But you know, that's alright. For the roads… they go on without end. So look up, face forward, toward your chosen horizon… And just… walk on.”
Quote spoilers for Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Thematic spoilers(?) for the whole series
...
“You’re standing at a loss
In front of a door
That’s been closed for so long”
At the time of writing this piece, I’ve been on Backloggd for less than a year. In that small timeframe, there have been multiple times when I’ve thought ‘You know what? I think today I’m going to sit down, and write a review about some of the most impactful games. Not just a short review that just boils down to me saying I liked it, but an actual full, real, in-depth review.’ But I never end up doing it. There’s always some rationale for it, I didn’t have the energy, there wasn’t enough time, I didn’t know how to start, I wasn’t ‘in the zone’ or something of that variety. Perhaps some of these were true at times, but in reality it always boils down to ‘What if what I write is bad? What if I don't convey my thoughts and feelings properly?’
“Until you open it, you cannot know
Afraid to see
What could be on the other side”
I don’t want to go out and make that effort, take that plunge, because I don’t think I can do it. If I try but fail and I butcher it, write it poorly, and/or misrepresent my thoughts, I’ll feel like a stupid fucking clown. More so than usual, that is. There isn’t any point in putting myself out there because it’ll inevitably result in intense hurt, just like every time before.
“I’ve seen that look before
The stare of your fearful looking eyes”
It’s so much easier to just not do it, to not try, to sit back and read others’ reviews instead. To consume art, rather than to create. I can stay safe and content as an observer, rather than a creator.
“Will you give up
And stay where you belong
Afraid your time
It might just take too long”
Satisfied and stationary, not a bad deal. I’ll just stay where I am, resting in my comfort zone. It’s worked so far, no reason for it not to in the future. It’s where I belong.
“Will you give up
And stay where you belong”
But doesn’t that fly directly in the face of not only some of my favorite works, but also my ideals, my beliefs? Have I not been taught time and time again to move forward, to improve, to grow, to learn? Am I not acting like Moebius, in a way? I’m creating a sort of ‘Endless Now’ for myself, am I not?
“And you won’t know
Unless we keep on trying
Now we need the strength to carry on”
Maybe it works, maybe it's easy. Hell, maybe I’ll suddenly wake up one day and write a fantastic review regardless? Is being complacent and waiting for knowledge and skill to find me just waiting for another turn of the clock? If that's the case, given enough seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, or even longer, I’ll eventually find myself in the perfect state to produce something of great quality.
“With a turn of the clock, anyone can be a winner, given the time.”
But that’s flawed logic. Waiting indefinitely in hopes that things will magically improve or change is a fool’s errand. I should, no, I need to grow and change and fail and learn of my own accord.
“Our voices might not be heard”
It doesn’t matter if I have no impact, what’s important is really, truly going out and trying.
“And it doesn’t matter if we fail”
Maybe I’ll fall flat on my face once more, but at least something will change. I’ll take that experience, and then get up and try again. I can’t be as I am now forever, I refuse to.
“But if there is a future”
It’s time for me to try, to go for it. I need to reach into the strange, unknowable life that is just waiting for me to confront it. Maybe there’s nothing at all for me, maybe I’m doomed to stay miserable. But maybe there’s something special waiting…
“That’s where we’ll set out sights”
The only way to find out is to venture forth and explore it.
“So… just walk through”
I’ll get up, and walk toward that unknowable future.
“Don’t take too long”
No more waiting for everything to happen.
“You’ll find it there…”
Whatever happens, happens.
“In our future”
…
“Roads stretch out before us. So many paths. Which do you choose? That's up to you. Sometimes you might run astray. You’ll stop, maybe cry in frustration. But you know, that's alright. For the roads… they go on without end. So look up, face forward, toward your chosen horizon… And just… walk on.”
710
Queria saber por que diabos as dlcs hoje em dia estão conseguindo ser mais sucinta e efetiva em quesito textual, temático e as vezes design tbm, superior ao jogo base.
Dito isso, eu gostei genuinamente dessa dlc, apesar de muita coisa que não gosto de xenoblade 3 estar aqui, senti que eles conciliaram melhor os problemas com o gameplay, no fim foi uma jornada boa e me fez ficar com vontade de um dia rejogar o 3 base novamente.
Shulk e rex melhores personagens apenas e matthew sola todo o elenco do 3 base.
Queria saber por que diabos as dlcs hoje em dia estão conseguindo ser mais sucinta e efetiva em quesito textual, temático e as vezes design tbm, superior ao jogo base.
Dito isso, eu gostei genuinamente dessa dlc, apesar de muita coisa que não gosto de xenoblade 3 estar aqui, senti que eles conciliaram melhor os problemas com o gameplay, no fim foi uma jornada boa e me fez ficar com vontade de um dia rejogar o 3 base novamente.
Shulk e rex melhores personagens apenas e matthew sola todo o elenco do 3 base.
This happened to my buddy once
Absolute perfection. Monolith Soft have perfected the Xenoblade franchise with Future Redeemed. Everything has been building to this moment, and it's one hell of a send-off for my favorite trilogy in gaming.
The combat was expertly refined from XB3; Mitsuda's music is, as always, flawless; and the story was so fucking good, I can't even begin to put it into words. Future Redeemed manages to connect all 3 games together in the perfect package with so many amazing call-backs and references to the previous games.
The high quality bar that Takahashi and the rest of the folks at Monolith Soft have kept up over the years is astounding. They keep outdoing themselves with every release, and Future Redeemed is the pinnacle of them at their craft. I can't wait to see what their next Xeno project will be (although I wouldn't mind a Xenoblade Chronicles X Switch port since I never got to play it).
The combat was expertly refined from XB3; Mitsuda's music is, as always, flawless; and the story was so fucking good, I can't even begin to put it into words. Future Redeemed manages to connect all 3 games together in the perfect package with so many amazing call-backs and references to the previous games.
The high quality bar that Takahashi and the rest of the folks at Monolith Soft have kept up over the years is astounding. They keep outdoing themselves with every release, and Future Redeemed is the pinnacle of them at their craft. I can't wait to see what their next Xeno project will be (although I wouldn't mind a Xenoblade Chronicles X Switch port since I never got to play it).
Not even my family gatherings are this fucked up
A great DLC I very much liked but definitely didn’t enjoy this more than the base game.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is my favorite game that released in 2022 for its incredible story, gorgeous world with a beautiful soundtrack. Not to mention that I loved or liked most of the characters. And Future Redeemed manages to match that energy but with flaws. Combat is fun and dynamic as always and I really liked the Affinity Growth system. This system felt like a great differentiation from the class system where you can take on a different classes from other characters in the base game. Affinity Growth allows you to make upgrades in skills where you can make your characters more powerful for their class. One reason I didn’t like this system is because you NEED to find kits or relics around the map to unlock more abilities to upgrade. And unfortunately, you also need kits to unlock more slots to do more attacks or to wear more accessories. In the base game you can unlock these slots by just leveling up which I much rather prefer. I get this is a DLC trying to make it’s gameplay feel different and fresh but I much rather prefer the base game’s functionality. Other than that combat is still solid and fun with a new section to play in Aionios (or rather old section timeline wise) and I just love exploring the worlds in any Xenoblade game. Unfortunately, a lot of quests weren’t that interesting but still fun to do if you’re interested enough to collect items you may need for various reasons later on.
I really liked the story with also having many moments that meant a lot to me, but I did have a few issues with the story in general. I didn’t really like the pacing simply because I feel like it didn’t have enough time to flesh out some characters. I don’t hate Matthew but to me he seemed really uninteresting until the final 2 chapters of the story. And Nikol felt like a very meh character with not much to say. A major factor that contributed to this issue is the amount of spotlight that well loved returning characters such as Rex and Shulk got, they pretty much overshadowed many of the characters in this Expansion. I did love the interactions between Rex and Glimmer and I wish there was more of it than what we got. I also wish the story did more with Na’el considering she joins your team on the final chapter and it sucks there isn’t more to her other than just having the short role of a temporary antagonist. And N becomes a really refreshing character and makes me like him more as an antagonist not just for this Expansion but for the base game story as well. And of course I did love the story I just felt like it could’ve been better on some aspects. I just didn’t have the same attachment to the characters just like how I did for the main characters in the base game.
Many people have said that this Expansion is what the base game should’ve been and I have to say that I strongly disagree with that take. I feel like I may have been a little negative but by all means I really did like Future Redeemed and I did like the mechanics. I just feel like I was hoping to get more of what I loved from the base game and maybe I just should’ve came in to Future Redeemed with a more open mind. But again I don’t hate this DLC since I did have a great time playing it. Moving forward I wonder where the series will go next as this saga comes to an end.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is my favorite game that released in 2022 for its incredible story, gorgeous world with a beautiful soundtrack. Not to mention that I loved or liked most of the characters. And Future Redeemed manages to match that energy but with flaws. Combat is fun and dynamic as always and I really liked the Affinity Growth system. This system felt like a great differentiation from the class system where you can take on a different classes from other characters in the base game. Affinity Growth allows you to make upgrades in skills where you can make your characters more powerful for their class. One reason I didn’t like this system is because you NEED to find kits or relics around the map to unlock more abilities to upgrade. And unfortunately, you also need kits to unlock more slots to do more attacks or to wear more accessories. In the base game you can unlock these slots by just leveling up which I much rather prefer. I get this is a DLC trying to make it’s gameplay feel different and fresh but I much rather prefer the base game’s functionality. Other than that combat is still solid and fun with a new section to play in Aionios (or rather old section timeline wise) and I just love exploring the worlds in any Xenoblade game. Unfortunately, a lot of quests weren’t that interesting but still fun to do if you’re interested enough to collect items you may need for various reasons later on.
I really liked the story with also having many moments that meant a lot to me, but I did have a few issues with the story in general. I didn’t really like the pacing simply because I feel like it didn’t have enough time to flesh out some characters. I don’t hate Matthew but to me he seemed really uninteresting until the final 2 chapters of the story. And Nikol felt like a very meh character with not much to say. A major factor that contributed to this issue is the amount of spotlight that well loved returning characters such as Rex and Shulk got, they pretty much overshadowed many of the characters in this Expansion. I did love the interactions between Rex and Glimmer and I wish there was more of it than what we got. I also wish the story did more with Na’el considering she joins your team on the final chapter and it sucks there isn’t more to her other than just having the short role of a temporary antagonist. And N becomes a really refreshing character and makes me like him more as an antagonist not just for this Expansion but for the base game story as well. And of course I did love the story I just felt like it could’ve been better on some aspects. I just didn’t have the same attachment to the characters just like how I did for the main characters in the base game.
Many people have said that this Expansion is what the base game should’ve been and I have to say that I strongly disagree with that take. I feel like I may have been a little negative but by all means I really did like Future Redeemed and I did like the mechanics. I just feel like I was hoping to get more of what I loved from the base game and maybe I just should’ve came in to Future Redeemed with a more open mind. But again I don’t hate this DLC since I did have a great time playing it. Moving forward I wonder where the series will go next as this saga comes to an end.
I never once thought I would play a game that made me think "damn I'm happy I played Xenoblade Chronicles 2"
a good chunk of this dlc campaign for me was the xenoblade version of that short scene in dragon ball super where goku is reenacting his fight with grandpa gohan, and as a whole it is most easily described as the devil may cry 5 of xenoblade. whether that is a good thing or not is up to you, but i fucking loved it.
future redeemed is cheesy shonen bullshit fanservice in the absolute best way possible, at least for my tastes. it does a great job at wrapping up the trilogy established by xenoblade and i hardly have any issues with it. the fanservice is definitely laid on thick to a point i feel others might find grating, but the strengths of 3 carry over here and it's overall very enjoyable to me.
i think my favorite aspect of it, like with 3, is the character writing. matthew is a contender for my favorite main character in the franchise. everything about him appeals to me so laser pointedly, can't help but smile whenever he's on screen. A isn't exactly my thing on her own but they're pretty and i think their dynamic with matthew works really well. nikol and glimmer are also pretty good, although a bit shafted in the middle portions of the campaign but i think regardless they come together to form a cohesive group that i enjoy seeing.
finishing off that cohesive group are the protagonists of the first two games, shulk and rex. shulk is one of my favorite video game characters and the way he's portrayed here makes me super happy. applying 3's great character writing to a really good understanding of an older more mature shulk is done so fucking well. i think shulk's outing here has me more excited for whatever takahashi has cooking next than anything else. more impressively though, it made downright hype when rex of all characters showed up, who i couldn't stand to see in his own game. he's also a standout character throughout the dlc, which is half me just finding corny characters irritating when theyre also young and half rex being a lot better of a character without his wives around.
a bit of an issue i had with 3 that others seemed to have way more of an issue with is the environments, and i actually really like the environments that show up in future redeemed. like most of the dlc it's very fanservicey, but it works well and i like it quite a bit more than what we see in 3's world. there's some really interesting set pieces used later on too, which are genuinely kinda crazy to see in xenoblade of all games.
the finale in general i think is very strong and it feels like more of a finale for xenoblade than the final boss of 3 which was probably the point. despite taking place before the end of 3 everything about the way the dlc ends feels so much more final and satisfying. 3's ending (in isolation) is really great i think, but it just doesn't work the best as an ending to the trilogy for me the more i dwell on it.
xenoblade chronicles 3 future redeemed is a spectacular ending to one of the all time greats of jrpgs. even if you aren't a fan of 1, 2, or even 3 the game does a really good job to make the content tied to them endearing. i specifically am a massive hater of xenoblade 2 and even the fan service for that game made me smile like a bit of an idiot. the story is cheesy and honestly a little dumb but it's carried so hard by how endearing and genuine it all is. the dlc feels like a real love letter to all that came before it in a way that few series are confident enough to do, let alone do as well as is done here, and i'm really excited to see what takahashi does next.
future redeemed is cheesy shonen bullshit fanservice in the absolute best way possible, at least for my tastes. it does a great job at wrapping up the trilogy established by xenoblade and i hardly have any issues with it. the fanservice is definitely laid on thick to a point i feel others might find grating, but the strengths of 3 carry over here and it's overall very enjoyable to me.
i think my favorite aspect of it, like with 3, is the character writing. matthew is a contender for my favorite main character in the franchise. everything about him appeals to me so laser pointedly, can't help but smile whenever he's on screen. A isn't exactly my thing on her own but they're pretty and i think their dynamic with matthew works really well. nikol and glimmer are also pretty good, although a bit shafted in the middle portions of the campaign but i think regardless they come together to form a cohesive group that i enjoy seeing.
finishing off that cohesive group are the protagonists of the first two games, shulk and rex. shulk is one of my favorite video game characters and the way he's portrayed here makes me super happy. applying 3's great character writing to a really good understanding of an older more mature shulk is done so fucking well. i think shulk's outing here has me more excited for whatever takahashi has cooking next than anything else. more impressively though, it made downright hype when rex of all characters showed up, who i couldn't stand to see in his own game. he's also a standout character throughout the dlc, which is half me just finding corny characters irritating when theyre also young and half rex being a lot better of a character without his wives around.
a bit of an issue i had with 3 that others seemed to have way more of an issue with is the environments, and i actually really like the environments that show up in future redeemed. like most of the dlc it's very fanservicey, but it works well and i like it quite a bit more than what we see in 3's world. there's some really interesting set pieces used later on too, which are genuinely kinda crazy to see in xenoblade of all games.
the finale in general i think is very strong and it feels like more of a finale for xenoblade than the final boss of 3 which was probably the point. despite taking place before the end of 3 everything about the way the dlc ends feels so much more final and satisfying. 3's ending (in isolation) is really great i think, but it just doesn't work the best as an ending to the trilogy for me the more i dwell on it.
xenoblade chronicles 3 future redeemed is a spectacular ending to one of the all time greats of jrpgs. even if you aren't a fan of 1, 2, or even 3 the game does a really good job to make the content tied to them endearing. i specifically am a massive hater of xenoblade 2 and even the fan service for that game made me smile like a bit of an idiot. the story is cheesy and honestly a little dumb but it's carried so hard by how endearing and genuine it all is. the dlc feels like a real love letter to all that came before it in a way that few series are confident enough to do, let alone do as well as is done here, and i'm really excited to see what takahashi does next.
This review contains spoilers
I'm so sorry Xenoblade 2 fans. I don't mean it outside of pity, but I'm so sorry.
It's fine. I expected far worse from what looked (and is) mostly fanservice DLC but I enjoyed my time with it and didn't feel like I was sleighed.
More of that Xenoblade 3 goodness (unless you don't like 3, then oops). Though with some gameplay additions I'm mixed about. More Class (Now Ouroboros) Arts, Accessories, and Gems have to be upgraded by finding and obtaining respective kits in the world. Similarly, further upgrading your Arts and Skills also require kits. I kind of wish that wasn't the case, since at some points I found myself trying to prep for what's ahead by forcing myself to explore every cranny. I get it, it's an open world game, but it's the difference between reading what you enjoy and reading for an assignment.
That's not to say ALL the exploration incentives turned me off. The new Affinity Goals are great to help keep track of what's in the world. You can now pin items you need for certain things (but not crafting in the world for some reason), a Good Collectopedia is here, and the X-Radar eases the process. Mostly. Its beeping doesn't seem to concern itself with elevation which sucks as some of that can't be done until plot progresses further. Progression overall kind of stinks.
Plot wise. It exists. I'm no Xenosaga or Xenogears chad, not yet anyways, so I might've missed a lot. It's similar to Torna where I think these beats are kind of rushed because it isn't able to do much in it's now expected 20~ hours. I did have to actually turn to the internet to hopefully explain some of the visuals. I'm not the brightest but I tried. Though don't expect anything to answer a lot. I don't know why you would, you're this many games in and should pick up on hints or just massive shrug.
Character wise, Matthew and A are great. Shulk feels like what would happen if you got the Olds following everything. And then there's everyone else I feel weird about. Glimmer and Nikol often feel like they just exist, more often to help show how Rex and Shulk have grown through the years. They're the greatest victims of being in pivotal scenes and having nothing to add. At least Nikol and Shulk have great interactions being massive NEEEEEEEEEER-
And Rex... Oh Rex... I have no clue who you are. For context, I didn't like Rex before. Not because of his outfit or screaming, but it felt like 2 was telling me he was a good, heroic and inspiring guy when I didn't get that at all. But now this feels like someone else who only occasionally speaks of memories and references the real Rex would know. I know he was like 15 and is probably like ??? in current day but I just don't see how these are the same person. This is legally distinct Auron with legally distinct Fei. Though that's more of a fault with the original character not doing much for me in the first place.
I think it's greatest strength is the way references are done. Had the main game done this, I would've been disappointed. But since this is a paid expansion that you can just ignore and if you pitch in you better be emotionally manip- catered to. A lot of nods to series classics: Unique Monsters, NPCs, music. A lot of music reference. Literally just saying them. Damn Origin really does have EVERYTHING, doesn't it? Oh man and Yesterdale, greatest jumpscare in my life but I respected it. Though what's really shocking is the lack of equal treatment to Xenoblade 2. I don't think it's a good game, no, but you'd think with Rex right there you'd be right in the open about it. But all you get is Tantal (which isn't a very distinctive) and talking about Uraya. Compared to Colony 9 (the real one), Raguel Lake, Prison Island... y'all got NOTHING. And to be fair, kind of hard to do anything considering there wasn't a lot to work with in XC2's ending (to the point where base game has a Torna area instead). But man, lol. Lmao, even.
Music is okaaay. Not the best additions, but I guess the lifting was from all the returning tracks. Fogbeast my beloved. New Battle!!! is great (following Time to Fight! and Battle!!, I see you Monolith) but a mighty ear worm. I think the new "generic" area theme is alright when it isn't starting every few minutes and Black Mountains' OST... exists. It and Prison Island's OST are sinister but I expected to go full mile with the arrangements.
Overall it's like. Fine. I expected far worse hamfisted fanservice but this did a good amount of "if you know you know". More often the callbacks felt like characters reminiscing of years gone by rather than the game looking at me and going "LOOK ITS THE THING".
It's fine. I expected far worse from what looked (and is) mostly fanservice DLC but I enjoyed my time with it and didn't feel like I was sleighed.
More of that Xenoblade 3 goodness (unless you don't like 3, then oops). Though with some gameplay additions I'm mixed about. More Class (Now Ouroboros) Arts, Accessories, and Gems have to be upgraded by finding and obtaining respective kits in the world. Similarly, further upgrading your Arts and Skills also require kits. I kind of wish that wasn't the case, since at some points I found myself trying to prep for what's ahead by forcing myself to explore every cranny. I get it, it's an open world game, but it's the difference between reading what you enjoy and reading for an assignment.
That's not to say ALL the exploration incentives turned me off. The new Affinity Goals are great to help keep track of what's in the world. You can now pin items you need for certain things (but not crafting in the world for some reason), a Good Collectopedia is here, and the X-Radar eases the process. Mostly. Its beeping doesn't seem to concern itself with elevation which sucks as some of that can't be done until plot progresses further. Progression overall kind of stinks.
Plot wise. It exists. I'm no Xenosaga or Xenogears chad, not yet anyways, so I might've missed a lot. It's similar to Torna where I think these beats are kind of rushed because it isn't able to do much in it's now expected 20~ hours. I did have to actually turn to the internet to hopefully explain some of the visuals. I'm not the brightest but I tried. Though don't expect anything to answer a lot. I don't know why you would, you're this many games in and should pick up on hints or just massive shrug.
Character wise, Matthew and A are great. Shulk feels like what would happen if you got the Olds following everything. And then there's everyone else I feel weird about. Glimmer and Nikol often feel like they just exist, more often to help show how Rex and Shulk have grown through the years. They're the greatest victims of being in pivotal scenes and having nothing to add. At least Nikol and Shulk have great interactions being massive NEEEEEEEEEER-
And Rex... Oh Rex... I have no clue who you are. For context, I didn't like Rex before. Not because of his outfit or screaming, but it felt like 2 was telling me he was a good, heroic and inspiring guy when I didn't get that at all. But now this feels like someone else who only occasionally speaks of memories and references the real Rex would know. I know he was like 15 and is probably like ??? in current day but I just don't see how these are the same person. This is legally distinct Auron with legally distinct Fei. Though that's more of a fault with the original character not doing much for me in the first place.
I think it's greatest strength is the way references are done. Had the main game done this, I would've been disappointed. But since this is a paid expansion that you can just ignore and if you pitch in you better be emotionally manip- catered to. A lot of nods to series classics: Unique Monsters, NPCs, music. A lot of music reference. Literally just saying them. Damn Origin really does have EVERYTHING, doesn't it? Oh man and Yesterdale, greatest jumpscare in my life but I respected it. Though what's really shocking is the lack of equal treatment to Xenoblade 2. I don't think it's a good game, no, but you'd think with Rex right there you'd be right in the open about it. But all you get is Tantal (which isn't a very distinctive) and talking about Uraya. Compared to Colony 9 (the real one), Raguel Lake, Prison Island... y'all got NOTHING. And to be fair, kind of hard to do anything considering there wasn't a lot to work with in XC2's ending (to the point where base game has a Torna area instead). But man, lol. Lmao, even.
Music is okaaay. Not the best additions, but I guess the lifting was from all the returning tracks. Fogbeast my beloved. New Battle!!! is great (following Time to Fight! and Battle!!, I see you Monolith) but a mighty ear worm. I think the new "generic" area theme is alright when it isn't starting every few minutes and Black Mountains' OST... exists. It and Prison Island's OST are sinister but I expected to go full mile with the arrangements.
Overall it's like. Fine. I expected far worse hamfisted fanservice but this did a good amount of "if you know you know". More often the callbacks felt like characters reminiscing of years gone by rather than the game looking at me and going "LOOK ITS THE THING".
this is not only the greatest dlc ever released but also one of the greatest games in general that i have ever played
every part of this experience was master class i enjoyed every aspect of this game from start to finish
every part of this experience was master class i enjoyed every aspect of this game from start to finish
I don’t like the sentiment that this game was “What Xenoblade 3 Should Have Been”. This game feels largely like a nostalgia-fest-y victory lap while also trying to be a full fledged game (and it succeeds in that!), and quite honestly I feel like wanting this first would have gone very much against Xenoblade 3’s message of moving on from the “Endless Now”. Thankfully aside from that one gripe with the sentiments, I’m by no means immune to nostalgia-fests! Every little reference and location and nod warmed my heart, and speaking of heartwarming SHULKDAD!!!! God I loved seeing the parents interact with their kids, even Rex who I’m not especially fond of elsewhere, I was pretty fond of in this game. Matthew and A are a fantastic duo as well as great characters individually, I love how Matthew is this sorta dumbass (lovingly) hyperactive guy, love him so much. A is my genderfuck monarch and I love A with all my heart, perfect char. Nikol and Glimmer as said earlier, in addition to being great in their own right, I loooove their relationships with Shulk and Rex so damn much. Great story of course as well, even if I feel like it could have used a bit more room to breathe. Combat I feel is pretty alright as well, they did a pretty good job differentiating it from 3’s, which was something I was a bit worried about. Major issue with it is that the defense classes can’t keep aggro for shit, especially with how overpowered Rex is (SPIN TO WIN). But yeah! Overall I loved this dlc, it stands pretty well among its peers in the series and despite how I felt for a bit in the middle, it worked its way into my heart pretty dang well. Love you, Xenoblade <3
'Three years had passed. Five years had passed, and still the trees remained with their roots spread out on the bottom of the water. It looked almost as if they were still alive now. Ohina thought to herself; in those days my legs were still strong. My eyes could still see far.'
– Michiko Ishimure, Tenko, 1997 (tr. Bruce Allen).
The post-war years in Japan were accompanied by an ideological shift in the ideas of work and family, with the development of the sarariiman myth. The ideal household, promoted by the Japanese government, was one in which the wife took care of the housework and the children's education, while the husband provided for the family's economic needs. This dream was made possible by the employment conditions of the 1960s and 1970s, when the average worker could expect to spend their entire career with the same company. Representations of the Japanese sarariiman have largely evolved over time, making him both an archetype of ideal masculinity through his loyalty to his employer and his sacrifice for his family (kigyō senshi, corporate warrior). At the same time, other representations emphasise his submissiveness, in line with the westernisation of Japanese culture [1].
And every morning the door closes
The collapse of the economic bubble in the 1990s shattered this ideal, weakening the labour market and the salaried middle class [2]. The destruction of this family harmony, based on a patriarchal concept of sacrifice, led to the dysfunction of Japanese households and the gradual disappearance of fathers from the family unit. The generation born after the 1970s had no memory of the economic miracle of previous decades and found themselves thrust into a world where inequalities were apparent from school and career prospects were mediocre at best. Authority figures were viewed with suspicion and contempt, including the government, teachers and parents. They are said to have failed in their role as guardians: teachers are portrayed as incompetent or murderers, politicians as indifferent to misery and colluding to steal public money, while fathers resign and mothers weep at their powerlessness [3].
The destruction of traditional masculinity, which is still struggling to build a new mythology, has been followed by a reassessment of the place of women, who are regarded as the driving force for Japan's economic recovery and the bulwark against demographic decline. Unsurprisingly, Shinzo Abe's economic programme has focused heavily on the role of women, both as workers and as mothers. Yet Abenomics have failed to transform the labour market environment: government coalitions have been largely conservative, and measures for women have been anemic at best [4]. What remains is a vain discourse to encourage reproduction – despite the economic conditions hardly being met for raising a child – which is reflected in cultural production.
Undoing ikumen in post-Abe Japan
The overrepresentation of motherhood, however, should not obscure the transformations of fatherhood in the 2000s and 2010s. Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed is a striking example as it deals directly with this issue, whereas the original game looked at the question of reproduction and family in a broader way [5]. The heroes of the first two games return, each embodying a different vision of masculinity. Shulk retains his candour while appearing more calm and disciplined. He represents a self-controlled masculinity driven by both elegance and intellect, in the style of the erudite warriors of pre-modern Asia. Rex is much rougher, constantly struggling to find a way to express his feelings and frustrations, despite his good intentions. In some ways, his development is reminiscent of that of Ryōta Nonomiya in Hirokazu Kore-eda's Soshite chichi ni naru (2013), an architect who is unable to provide emotional comfort to his family. Confronted with the way Shulk interacts with Nikol, Rex finds a new harmony with Glimmer, full of empathy and love.
Perhaps the most important aspect of these relationships is that their nature remains implicit. Many of the reminiscent and contemplative passages in Future Redeemed rely on knowledge of the franchise, but the theme of fatherhood runs throughout the DLC. Ultimately, the heroes' distance from their children is a response to the debates surrounding ikumen, a term used to describe fathers who are involved in raising their children in order to make them appear 'cool'. The ideological programme of Abe's Japan relied heavily on this imaginary to encourage fathers to participate in the household, but the figure of the ikumen has been widely criticised for giving men a nice label, even though they contribute to the dysfunction of both the domestic economy and their working environment [6].
The figure of the ikumen can be understood as a way for fathers to make themselves useful somewhere and gain recognition from their peers, a way to find a place to belong (ibasho) after being ejected from both the family unit and the corporate space. Future Redeemed responds to this sociological question in the same way as several local associations have done, through the figure of the ikimen, men who decide to foster communities of solidarity in the same way that they would look after their children [7]. Shulk and Rex, thanks to their experience, become the tutelary figures of the Liberators and Colony 9, but they are more interested in being mentors than leaders. Like the base game, Future Redeemed focuses on building bonds between the various members of the community until their resilience is no longer in doubt. As the various characters point out to Matthew, the virtue of a leader is to bring people together when necessary, not to control their lives. Through the various side-quests, the inhabitants of Colony 9 also gain texture and individuality, autonomy and confidence – more so than in the base game, thanks to a sparser cast.
Maybe tomorrow
There is an optimistic melancholy to Future Redeemed, between the series' various iconic locations reduced to lonely ruins and the forward-looking language of the characters. Like Tetsuya Takahashi's other games, the DLC shines by magnifying the ties that bind individuals, variations on the theme of friendship, love and togetherness – lessons that must be carried beyond the game. A single existence is but a drop in the ocean of human history. Civilisations, buildings, masterpieces, passions, dreams and memories can vanish in an instant, but there remains an explicit duty to cherish the past, not in blind adoration, but in preparation for the future. Future Redeemed constantly refuses to elevate Shulk and Rex onto a pedestal: they are already fading figures, as their injuries attest. Even A, for all her unwavering calm and penetrating gaze, chooses to remain outside the life that Colony 9 and the Liberators have decided to cherish; not because she is without compassion for the survivors, but because she knows – and this is her legacy – that the future belongs to them alone.
As Xeno veterans know, every story has an ending, and not all sequels need to be told. Looking back at Lost Jerusalem and thinking about building a better world is poignant, but this is the everyday story. Fighting for a fairer and more humane world. It may take generations, but the important thing is to keep dreaming and struggling for it, because there is nothing more tragic than an existence without hope, even when darkness seems to engulf everything. Of course, there is something idealistic and simplistic about this statement, but Future Redeemed, like the base game Xenogears (1998) or Xenosaga (2002-2006), leaves room for misery and sadness. Inequality is part of every society, and Takahashi has no illusions about the ghosts that will always roam the Rhadamanthus of the future. This is how Future Redeemed concludes the epic of the Xenoblade Chronicles, just as Episode III: Also sprach Zarathustra (2006) invited one to close their eyes for a while, until the light of hope reappears, maybe tomorrow. In a way, Future Redeemed is just an open door. Its more meticulous progression with Affinity Points, its more fluid exploration thanks to numerous ergonomic additions, and its gameplay designed around accessories rather than classes all point to rich ideas for Monolith Soft's next projects.
I may still be around to see what paths they take.
Maybe I won't.
I will sleep a while, until the dawn wakes me up again...
I still believe... come what may...
__________
[1] Annette Schad-Seifert, 'Samurai and Sarariiman: The Discourse on Masculinity in Modern Japan', in Arne Holzhausen (ed.), Can Japan Globalize? Studies on Japan's Changing Political Economy and the Process of Globalization, Springer, Berlin, 2001, pp. 206-208.
[2] Some contextual details are provided in my reviews of Kaze no NOTAM (1997) and Power Shovel (1999).
[3] This is a rather simplified picture of the cultural representations of the 1990s and 2000s, but they occupy an important part of successful audiovisual production in Japan. On the topic, see Shuk-ting Kinnia Yau, 'Bad Father and Good Mother: The Changing Image of Masculinity in Post-Bubble-Economy Japan', in David G. Hebert (ed.), International Perspectives on Translation, Education and Innovation in Japanese and Korean Societies, Springer, New York, 2018, pp. 243-253.
[4] Mark Crawford, 'Abe’s Womenomics Policy, 2013-2020: Tokenism, Gradualism, or Failed Strategy?', in The Asia-Pacific Journal, vol. 19, no. 4-4, 2021.
[5] On the topic, see my review of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 (2022).
[6] In particular, wives and employers are very suspicious of the ikumen modoki, the father who prides himself on being involved in running the household and bringing up the children, but in reality makes no effort at all. He builds a positive image of himself on his wife's efforts and uses the household as an excuse to shirk his professional responsibilities. The yarisugi ikumen, the man who is overly proactive in his domestic involvement, is equally feared by women, both because he often disrupts household routines and wastes time, unnecessarily burdening his spouse with additional work. On the topic, see Nicholas Michael Feinig, Rearing the Family, Moving Society: Rethinking Gender, Kinship, and Work through Japan’s Fathering Movement, PhD thesis, University of Toronto, 2020, pp. 99-134.
[7] This figure is also subject to specific criticisms, notably the contamination of spaces intended for women by a corporatist and hierarchical masculinity, and the fact that these groups are more places for fathers to socialise than spaces for improving local community life; nevertheless, they are a new ibasho for men, outside the workplace. On the topic, see Nicholas Michael Feinig, op. cit., pp. 230-276.
– Michiko Ishimure, Tenko, 1997 (tr. Bruce Allen).
The post-war years in Japan were accompanied by an ideological shift in the ideas of work and family, with the development of the sarariiman myth. The ideal household, promoted by the Japanese government, was one in which the wife took care of the housework and the children's education, while the husband provided for the family's economic needs. This dream was made possible by the employment conditions of the 1960s and 1970s, when the average worker could expect to spend their entire career with the same company. Representations of the Japanese sarariiman have largely evolved over time, making him both an archetype of ideal masculinity through his loyalty to his employer and his sacrifice for his family (kigyō senshi, corporate warrior). At the same time, other representations emphasise his submissiveness, in line with the westernisation of Japanese culture [1].
And every morning the door closes
The collapse of the economic bubble in the 1990s shattered this ideal, weakening the labour market and the salaried middle class [2]. The destruction of this family harmony, based on a patriarchal concept of sacrifice, led to the dysfunction of Japanese households and the gradual disappearance of fathers from the family unit. The generation born after the 1970s had no memory of the economic miracle of previous decades and found themselves thrust into a world where inequalities were apparent from school and career prospects were mediocre at best. Authority figures were viewed with suspicion and contempt, including the government, teachers and parents. They are said to have failed in their role as guardians: teachers are portrayed as incompetent or murderers, politicians as indifferent to misery and colluding to steal public money, while fathers resign and mothers weep at their powerlessness [3].
The destruction of traditional masculinity, which is still struggling to build a new mythology, has been followed by a reassessment of the place of women, who are regarded as the driving force for Japan's economic recovery and the bulwark against demographic decline. Unsurprisingly, Shinzo Abe's economic programme has focused heavily on the role of women, both as workers and as mothers. Yet Abenomics have failed to transform the labour market environment: government coalitions have been largely conservative, and measures for women have been anemic at best [4]. What remains is a vain discourse to encourage reproduction – despite the economic conditions hardly being met for raising a child – which is reflected in cultural production.
Undoing ikumen in post-Abe Japan
The overrepresentation of motherhood, however, should not obscure the transformations of fatherhood in the 2000s and 2010s. Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed is a striking example as it deals directly with this issue, whereas the original game looked at the question of reproduction and family in a broader way [5]. The heroes of the first two games return, each embodying a different vision of masculinity. Shulk retains his candour while appearing more calm and disciplined. He represents a self-controlled masculinity driven by both elegance and intellect, in the style of the erudite warriors of pre-modern Asia. Rex is much rougher, constantly struggling to find a way to express his feelings and frustrations, despite his good intentions. In some ways, his development is reminiscent of that of Ryōta Nonomiya in Hirokazu Kore-eda's Soshite chichi ni naru (2013), an architect who is unable to provide emotional comfort to his family. Confronted with the way Shulk interacts with Nikol, Rex finds a new harmony with Glimmer, full of empathy and love.
Perhaps the most important aspect of these relationships is that their nature remains implicit. Many of the reminiscent and contemplative passages in Future Redeemed rely on knowledge of the franchise, but the theme of fatherhood runs throughout the DLC. Ultimately, the heroes' distance from their children is a response to the debates surrounding ikumen, a term used to describe fathers who are involved in raising their children in order to make them appear 'cool'. The ideological programme of Abe's Japan relied heavily on this imaginary to encourage fathers to participate in the household, but the figure of the ikumen has been widely criticised for giving men a nice label, even though they contribute to the dysfunction of both the domestic economy and their working environment [6].
The figure of the ikumen can be understood as a way for fathers to make themselves useful somewhere and gain recognition from their peers, a way to find a place to belong (ibasho) after being ejected from both the family unit and the corporate space. Future Redeemed responds to this sociological question in the same way as several local associations have done, through the figure of the ikimen, men who decide to foster communities of solidarity in the same way that they would look after their children [7]. Shulk and Rex, thanks to their experience, become the tutelary figures of the Liberators and Colony 9, but they are more interested in being mentors than leaders. Like the base game, Future Redeemed focuses on building bonds between the various members of the community until their resilience is no longer in doubt. As the various characters point out to Matthew, the virtue of a leader is to bring people together when necessary, not to control their lives. Through the various side-quests, the inhabitants of Colony 9 also gain texture and individuality, autonomy and confidence – more so than in the base game, thanks to a sparser cast.
Maybe tomorrow
There is an optimistic melancholy to Future Redeemed, between the series' various iconic locations reduced to lonely ruins and the forward-looking language of the characters. Like Tetsuya Takahashi's other games, the DLC shines by magnifying the ties that bind individuals, variations on the theme of friendship, love and togetherness – lessons that must be carried beyond the game. A single existence is but a drop in the ocean of human history. Civilisations, buildings, masterpieces, passions, dreams and memories can vanish in an instant, but there remains an explicit duty to cherish the past, not in blind adoration, but in preparation for the future. Future Redeemed constantly refuses to elevate Shulk and Rex onto a pedestal: they are already fading figures, as their injuries attest. Even A, for all her unwavering calm and penetrating gaze, chooses to remain outside the life that Colony 9 and the Liberators have decided to cherish; not because she is without compassion for the survivors, but because she knows – and this is her legacy – that the future belongs to them alone.
As Xeno veterans know, every story has an ending, and not all sequels need to be told. Looking back at Lost Jerusalem and thinking about building a better world is poignant, but this is the everyday story. Fighting for a fairer and more humane world. It may take generations, but the important thing is to keep dreaming and struggling for it, because there is nothing more tragic than an existence without hope, even when darkness seems to engulf everything. Of course, there is something idealistic and simplistic about this statement, but Future Redeemed, like the base game Xenogears (1998) or Xenosaga (2002-2006), leaves room for misery and sadness. Inequality is part of every society, and Takahashi has no illusions about the ghosts that will always roam the Rhadamanthus of the future. This is how Future Redeemed concludes the epic of the Xenoblade Chronicles, just as Episode III: Also sprach Zarathustra (2006) invited one to close their eyes for a while, until the light of hope reappears, maybe tomorrow. In a way, Future Redeemed is just an open door. Its more meticulous progression with Affinity Points, its more fluid exploration thanks to numerous ergonomic additions, and its gameplay designed around accessories rather than classes all point to rich ideas for Monolith Soft's next projects.
I may still be around to see what paths they take.
Maybe I won't.
I will sleep a while, until the dawn wakes me up again...
I still believe... come what may...
__________
[1] Annette Schad-Seifert, 'Samurai and Sarariiman: The Discourse on Masculinity in Modern Japan', in Arne Holzhausen (ed.), Can Japan Globalize? Studies on Japan's Changing Political Economy and the Process of Globalization, Springer, Berlin, 2001, pp. 206-208.
[2] Some contextual details are provided in my reviews of Kaze no NOTAM (1997) and Power Shovel (1999).
[3] This is a rather simplified picture of the cultural representations of the 1990s and 2000s, but they occupy an important part of successful audiovisual production in Japan. On the topic, see Shuk-ting Kinnia Yau, 'Bad Father and Good Mother: The Changing Image of Masculinity in Post-Bubble-Economy Japan', in David G. Hebert (ed.), International Perspectives on Translation, Education and Innovation in Japanese and Korean Societies, Springer, New York, 2018, pp. 243-253.
[4] Mark Crawford, 'Abe’s Womenomics Policy, 2013-2020: Tokenism, Gradualism, or Failed Strategy?', in The Asia-Pacific Journal, vol. 19, no. 4-4, 2021.
[5] On the topic, see my review of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 (2022).
[6] In particular, wives and employers are very suspicious of the ikumen modoki, the father who prides himself on being involved in running the household and bringing up the children, but in reality makes no effort at all. He builds a positive image of himself on his wife's efforts and uses the household as an excuse to shirk his professional responsibilities. The yarisugi ikumen, the man who is overly proactive in his domestic involvement, is equally feared by women, both because he often disrupts household routines and wastes time, unnecessarily burdening his spouse with additional work. On the topic, see Nicholas Michael Feinig, Rearing the Family, Moving Society: Rethinking Gender, Kinship, and Work through Japan’s Fathering Movement, PhD thesis, University of Toronto, 2020, pp. 99-134.
[7] This figure is also subject to specific criticisms, notably the contamination of spaces intended for women by a corporatist and hierarchical masculinity, and the fact that these groups are more places for fathers to socialise than spaces for improving local community life; nevertheless, they are a new ibasho for men, outside the workplace. On the topic, see Nicholas Michael Feinig, op. cit., pp. 230-276.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 was a game that I adored so, so much, that I couldn't bring myself to start writing a review for it. I could talk about that game for hours, and yet, I'm lost for words.
There is no way to properly explain the way this series hits any more. Half the reason I never tried writing about XC3 was that so much of what I wanted to say would touch on spoilers in one way or another, and given the nature of this expansion the same is going to apply here. (So this is more a rant summarising my feelings on this series as a whole)
One thing I will say, however, is that I am honestly devastated that my memory is as bad as it can be, in particular with this franchise. I have loved, loved all 3 parts of this trilogy but if you asked me to even summarise one of the first 2 games I'd get maybe 5% of the story right, it kinda sucks😭
I'm pretty confident that 3 is my favourite, and not just for recency bias, but the combat, the party, the world, the story, the relationships and development of the characters.. It is truly deserving of the label peak because it genuinely sits at the top of the JRPG mountain in my opinion. I fucking love that game dude, they even added a navigation line to follow!
(Unfortunatley, this expansion removes that again 😭 2 games and 2 expansions to finally stop me from getting lost only to rob me of it again, wounded!)
Anyway if you can't tell I'm already losing myself, these games have got me bad, man. It is all heart, I have no brain, no thoughts (no memory 😔) - I barely understand myself how they've touched me this much, but there's an undeniable charm and sincerity to them that's really just 😩
To make some comments about Future Redeemed specifically, I fully understand the reasoning behind Matthew et al, but I can't help but wonder if I'd have preferred somehow getting to bring things to fruition with familiar faces. Matthew is great don't get me wrong, but his specific personality archetype is an interesting one to go with for the main character of this expansion lol.
Also, without saying anything else: Holy shit the glow up, the future is not the only thing being redeemed god damn.
Final thoughts I think I preferred the combat and overall dynamics in the main game vs this, and locking arts and accessory slots behind finding rare items instead of your player level is kinda oof, but I got by. It felt a bit like XC3 but stripped back a little instead of further improved which is a shame, but with the bar set by XC3 I really don't think there was anywhere to go but backwards anyway.
Difficulty wise there was one boss near the end that was a huge spike for me, but admittedly I'd been playing somewhat lazily until then anyway and it didn't take too long to overcome it.
Overall: this is insane. This series is nothing short of beautiful and if you don't believe me then the soundtrack alone can prove you wrong with ease. I don't know if I want more or not but I definitely want more of something from this team. Do not let British voice acting put y'all off these games bro, yes I know XC2 sounds kinda goofy but you can play in Japanese if you must and even if you don't I guarantee that the voicework does not detract from how good they are. (Also Mio and Nia's accents are too good to pass up on smh shame on you)
Thanks for reading to all who did, hope it's okay that this is just word vomit but I really wasn't kidding when I said I have no words. Hope you're all having a wonderful December and enjoy any festivities you may or may not partake in. Until next time🙏
There is no way to properly explain the way this series hits any more. Half the reason I never tried writing about XC3 was that so much of what I wanted to say would touch on spoilers in one way or another, and given the nature of this expansion the same is going to apply here. (So this is more a rant summarising my feelings on this series as a whole)
One thing I will say, however, is that I am honestly devastated that my memory is as bad as it can be, in particular with this franchise. I have loved, loved all 3 parts of this trilogy but if you asked me to even summarise one of the first 2 games I'd get maybe 5% of the story right, it kinda sucks😭
I'm pretty confident that 3 is my favourite, and not just for recency bias, but the combat, the party, the world, the story, the relationships and development of the characters.. It is truly deserving of the label peak because it genuinely sits at the top of the JRPG mountain in my opinion. I fucking love that game dude, they even added a navigation line to follow!
(Unfortunatley, this expansion removes that again 😭 2 games and 2 expansions to finally stop me from getting lost only to rob me of it again, wounded!)
Anyway if you can't tell I'm already losing myself, these games have got me bad, man. It is all heart, I have no brain, no thoughts (no memory 😔) - I barely understand myself how they've touched me this much, but there's an undeniable charm and sincerity to them that's really just 😩
To make some comments about Future Redeemed specifically, I fully understand the reasoning behind Matthew et al, but I can't help but wonder if I'd have preferred somehow getting to bring things to fruition with familiar faces. Matthew is great don't get me wrong, but his specific personality archetype is an interesting one to go with for the main character of this expansion lol.
Also, without saying anything else: Holy shit the glow up, the future is not the only thing being redeemed god damn.
Final thoughts I think I preferred the combat and overall dynamics in the main game vs this, and locking arts and accessory slots behind finding rare items instead of your player level is kinda oof, but I got by. It felt a bit like XC3 but stripped back a little instead of further improved which is a shame, but with the bar set by XC3 I really don't think there was anywhere to go but backwards anyway.
Difficulty wise there was one boss near the end that was a huge spike for me, but admittedly I'd been playing somewhat lazily until then anyway and it didn't take too long to overcome it.
Overall: this is insane. This series is nothing short of beautiful and if you don't believe me then the soundtrack alone can prove you wrong with ease. I don't know if I want more or not but I definitely want more of something from this team. Do not let British voice acting put y'all off these games bro, yes I know XC2 sounds kinda goofy but you can play in Japanese if you must and even if you don't I guarantee that the voicework does not detract from how good they are. (Also Mio and Nia's accents are too good to pass up on smh shame on you)
Thanks for reading to all who did, hope it's okay that this is just word vomit but I really wasn't kidding when I said I have no words. Hope you're all having a wonderful December and enjoy any festivities you may or may not partake in. Until next time🙏
Seems to me like this expansion isn't supplemental to base XC3. More like XC3 is supplemental to this story instead. It feels as if this was the game Monolith was trying to make from the start. Compared to the base game, it feels like more care and consideration was put into it overall. The areas are prettier and more fun to explore, and the unity system and new incursion battles are great additions. All of the affinity stuff they added and/or reimplemented was pretty neat too. I'm interested to see where they'll take the story from here going forward into the future.
Appreciate the restraint on not making this the actual main video game. I know many expected this kind of devotedly self-referential cloying annoyance based on the concepts initially made available about Xenoblade 3, but what we got was something much more subtle and sweet in its way. As an expansion for hardcore fans it's much cuter and worthwhile. I don't feel like this needed to exist but that's more of a reaction to how satisfied I ended up feeling with the main game whereas for Xenoblade 2, Torna the Golden Country was something it was desperately aching for to clumsily fill whatever holes it had (nothing could ever actually fix that game regardless of their valiant efforts).
Very excited for their next game, if this level of map/level design and narrative follows through but who knows they could just make it shit like 2 again on both counts. But at least they've got me on the right foot towards them again. Not a fan of the checklistification of the open world stuff however, which is ironically the opposite of the coolest directions taken in the main game, where it took the stock open world colony liberation concept and gave it real narrative and emotional weight throughout. Hoping for more of that and less of 1/16 containers found in the next actual one.
Very excited for their next game, if this level of map/level design and narrative follows through but who knows they could just make it shit like 2 again on both counts. But at least they've got me on the right foot towards them again. Not a fan of the checklistification of the open world stuff however, which is ironically the opposite of the coolest directions taken in the main game, where it took the stock open world colony liberation concept and gave it real narrative and emotional weight throughout. Hoping for more of that and less of 1/16 containers found in the next actual one.
I finished this over 2 weeks ago and I'm still not over it. crying. sobbing. tearing up.
this is peak gaming right here, what an incredible journey..
this is peak gaming right here, what an incredible journey..
it was perfect. Perfect. Everything, down to the last minute details.
XB3:FR where the FR stands for "fucking RADIO?!?!?"
I was walking in circles around my room for over an hour after finishing it last night and am still trying to collect my thoughts. A beautiful finale to the entirety of Xeno and everything I could have ever asked for.
I have never felt such satisfaction upon finishing something before and am so glad I played Gears and Saga beforehand. I played this series, especially 3 and FR, at the best possible time in my life, purely by chance, and don't think its themes would have resonated with me as deeply as they did had I played it at any previous point in my life. I'll never forget what it has taught me and will forever treasure it. Sagabros we won
P.S. DABURU SUPININGU EJJI
I have never felt such satisfaction upon finishing something before and am so glad I played Gears and Saga beforehand. I played this series, especially 3 and FR, at the best possible time in my life, purely by chance, and don't think its themes would have resonated with me as deeply as they did had I played it at any previous point in my life. I'll never forget what it has taught me and will forever treasure it. Sagabros we won
P.S. DABURU SUPININGU EJJI
Honestly a pretty phenomenal bit of dlc, I'm a but sad I didn't play it sooner but that's what tends to happens when a lot of games you're excited for come out around the same time. I was a bit disappointed at first when it was revealed it wasn't an epilogue as both me and several other people felt the main story would have benefited and while the ending of this dlc does try to give some closure to that I would say some of grievances with the main game ending weren't completely answered. But ignoring and just looking at the dlc on it's own, this was just a good time. Lot's of exploration that rewards you, a more fine tuned battle system that feels great, a fun and frankly insane party gameplay wise that can pull off some crazy damage. Game was just fun from beginning to end.
It is an effective, well-paced conclusion to the series thematically.
I like that exploration is rewarded because you get really useful combat skills/arts and various satisfying fills to your Affinity Goals. The exploration overall is solid enough as it was in the base game; in combination with the DLC's short length this is really the only time I felt like near-completing a Xenoblade game (I'll pass on the superbosses and final Enemypedia entries for now, but I 100%ed everything else).
My biggest gripe with the DLC is that it leans way too much into Xenoblade 1 fanservice for me, and as a result I wish more of the areas (and the final boss) had more of a unique identity visually and atmospherically. At least writing wise it's still very much Xenoblade 3 throughout which is a good thing.
I also wish Aurora Shelf's music wasn't re-used for Ragmos Desolation. It's a nice theme but you hear it a lot throughout the 20-30hrs.
Playing this DLC also kind of just finalized my general stance towards the series as a whole - I like the writing and a lot of the ideas, I love a lot of the presentation elements, but a lot of the gameplay and combat elements just were never my thing since I played Xenoblade 1 years ago. Particularly for similar reasons I dislike ATB combat from the Squaresoft-era: there isn't much slow, methodical strategy (i.e. learning enemy/boss patterns) and combat is more just wailing attacks at the enemy, occasionally scrambling to heal and regroup, and then Chain Attacking for overkills. Most of the fun in gameplay comes from making builds and finding more effective (and broken) ways to put down an enemy before they can fuck you up hard. That is appealing to many fans, and while I had my own share of fun with that in Xenoblade 2 and 3 especially, it's just not my main action game gameplay vibe ultimately.
I could probably say a lot more, such as what I feel about the characters, but I'll leave these thoughts here for now.
I like that exploration is rewarded because you get really useful combat skills/arts and various satisfying fills to your Affinity Goals. The exploration overall is solid enough as it was in the base game; in combination with the DLC's short length this is really the only time I felt like near-completing a Xenoblade game (I'll pass on the superbosses and final Enemypedia entries for now, but I 100%ed everything else).
My biggest gripe with the DLC is that it leans way too much into Xenoblade 1 fanservice for me, and as a result I wish more of the areas (and the final boss) had more of a unique identity visually and atmospherically. At least writing wise it's still very much Xenoblade 3 throughout which is a good thing.
I also wish Aurora Shelf's music wasn't re-used for Ragmos Desolation. It's a nice theme but you hear it a lot throughout the 20-30hrs.
Playing this DLC also kind of just finalized my general stance towards the series as a whole - I like the writing and a lot of the ideas, I love a lot of the presentation elements, but a lot of the gameplay and combat elements just were never my thing since I played Xenoblade 1 years ago. Particularly for similar reasons I dislike ATB combat from the Squaresoft-era: there isn't much slow, methodical strategy (i.e. learning enemy/boss patterns) and combat is more just wailing attacks at the enemy, occasionally scrambling to heal and regroup, and then Chain Attacking for overkills. Most of the fun in gameplay comes from making builds and finding more effective (and broken) ways to put down an enemy before they can fuck you up hard. That is appealing to many fans, and while I had my own share of fun with that in Xenoblade 2 and 3 especially, it's just not my main action game gameplay vibe ultimately.
I could probably say a lot more, such as what I feel about the characters, but I'll leave these thoughts here for now.
Don't even need to say anything else for this. Please, just play the game yourself.
Thank you Monolithsoft for crafting the greatest series I could ever ask for, and I'm very excited for what will come in the future.
Thank you Monolithsoft for crafting the greatest series I could ever ask for, and I'm very excited for what will come in the future.
This review contains spoilers
XENOBLADE MARATHON COMPLETE
What an amazing little bow they tied this up in. Absolutely no training wheels or explanations, just a pure, unadulterated ending to the Klaus saga. Once again echoing everyone but yes, Rex is my favorite part. Seeing him turn into a hyperprotective father after spending time with him as a 15 year old with ADHD in 2 is amazing. But that 15 year old and optimism are still there deep down. He isn’t good in spite of how he is in 2, he’s good BECAUSE of how he was there (because he was good but that is another can of beans (which i’m feeling full of)) There’s so much fanservice done beautifully, it feels like returning home at the end of a long journey. And once again an entire cast I would lay my life down for. God damn you Takahashi. Beautiful closure to this summer’s Xenoblade marathon. Saved my life.
What an amazing little bow they tied this up in. Absolutely no training wheels or explanations, just a pure, unadulterated ending to the Klaus saga. Once again echoing everyone but yes, Rex is my favorite part. Seeing him turn into a hyperprotective father after spending time with him as a 15 year old with ADHD in 2 is amazing. But that 15 year old and optimism are still there deep down. He isn’t good in spite of how he is in 2, he’s good BECAUSE of how he was there (because he was good but that is another can of beans (which i’m feeling full of)) There’s so much fanservice done beautifully, it feels like returning home at the end of a long journey. And once again an entire cast I would lay my life down for. God damn you Takahashi. Beautiful closure to this summer’s Xenoblade marathon. Saved my life.
Future Redeemed is honestly what I expected the main story of Xenoblade 3 to be when it was first revealed. I do have issues with the core game's narrative, but none of them have to do with the setup, and in time I've come better appreciate what they crafted with that game. You need the game, its characters, and its story to stand on their own, and not be overshadowed by what came before. It picks the right moments to tug on the heartstrings with its callbacks, and it never becomes gratuitous to the point where it takes away from what they were building.
That said, this DLC was their chance to run wild and finally give us some closure to Xenoblade 1 and 2, and I'm happy to report that it absolutely does. It doesn't answer every question you might have and even leaves a bit of a tease toward future stories in this universe, but given I enjoyed the world and characters of the first two games just a tad more than 3, I unabashedly wanted more. I wanted the DLC to gesture and go "Here's the thing you like from those games!" so I could point and clap and exclaim "Thank you Takahashi!" And, you know what? Future Redeemed was more than happy to oblige. I'm paying for extra content, so give me my money's worth.
Speaking of which, Future Redeemed continues to trend established by past titles in just giving you an entirely new game to the point where it barely even feels like DLC. It's not nearly as expansive as the base game naturally, but this new area of Aionios is still far more vast than you'd expect and filled with plenty of new characters, side quests and places to explore. Some of your upgrades have now been delegated to items you find in the overworld, even futher rewarding exploration, and the new Ouroboros powers streamline combat a bit more, which I liked. Since the technology hasn't been perfected yet, you don't get the full combined transformations that Noah and his group have, but given that power often trivialized battles with how, well, overpowered it was, there's a bit more challenge to the combat in the DLC.
I liked the cast of Future Redeemed a lot, even if they aren't given quite as much time to develop as the main six from Xenoblade 3. Matthew establishes himself quite quickly as a worthy main character, and he plays off well with his companion A. Shulk and Rex, of course, are as fantastic as ever, and seeing how much they've grown since their respective games only furthered my love for both (but hey, let's be honest, Rex steals the show here). Nikol and Glimmer, unfortunately, aren't quite given the same amount of time to shine. They do get somewhat there by the end, but they face the problem of having their backstories tread the same ground of those already covered in the main game, so a fair bit of their development is glossed over. As a whole, though, this game's party holds up extremely well with past games and I'm exceedingly happy with where they left things off with Shulk and Rex. The entire last chapter was kino as hell.
I'm truly overjoyed that Takahashi and the entire team at Monolith Soft were able to fully realize their dreams and ambitions with the Xenoblade series. They've become Nintendo's new golden child developers in my eyes and I'm incredibly excited about what they have in store going forward, whether it's a continuation of this series or something entirely new. I will be there day one either way.
That said, this DLC was their chance to run wild and finally give us some closure to Xenoblade 1 and 2, and I'm happy to report that it absolutely does. It doesn't answer every question you might have and even leaves a bit of a tease toward future stories in this universe, but given I enjoyed the world and characters of the first two games just a tad more than 3, I unabashedly wanted more. I wanted the DLC to gesture and go "Here's the thing you like from those games!" so I could point and clap and exclaim "Thank you Takahashi!" And, you know what? Future Redeemed was more than happy to oblige. I'm paying for extra content, so give me my money's worth.
Speaking of which, Future Redeemed continues to trend established by past titles in just giving you an entirely new game to the point where it barely even feels like DLC. It's not nearly as expansive as the base game naturally, but this new area of Aionios is still far more vast than you'd expect and filled with plenty of new characters, side quests and places to explore. Some of your upgrades have now been delegated to items you find in the overworld, even futher rewarding exploration, and the new Ouroboros powers streamline combat a bit more, which I liked. Since the technology hasn't been perfected yet, you don't get the full combined transformations that Noah and his group have, but given that power often trivialized battles with how, well, overpowered it was, there's a bit more challenge to the combat in the DLC.
I liked the cast of Future Redeemed a lot, even if they aren't given quite as much time to develop as the main six from Xenoblade 3. Matthew establishes himself quite quickly as a worthy main character, and he plays off well with his companion A. Shulk and Rex, of course, are as fantastic as ever, and seeing how much they've grown since their respective games only furthered my love for both (but hey, let's be honest, Rex steals the show here). Nikol and Glimmer, unfortunately, aren't quite given the same amount of time to shine. They do get somewhat there by the end, but they face the problem of having their backstories tread the same ground of those already covered in the main game, so a fair bit of their development is glossed over. As a whole, though, this game's party holds up extremely well with past games and I'm exceedingly happy with where they left things off with Shulk and Rex. The entire last chapter was kino as hell.
I'm truly overjoyed that Takahashi and the entire team at Monolith Soft were able to fully realize their dreams and ambitions with the Xenoblade series. They've become Nintendo's new golden child developers in my eyes and I'm incredibly excited about what they have in store going forward, whether it's a continuation of this series or something entirely new. I will be there day one either way.
No words. Everything I wanted and even more. Thank you Monolithsoft. Beyond excited for what lies ahead.